Welcome to the Autism Alliance UK’s supporter newsletter.
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Autumn 2026
What is the Autism Alliance UK?
The Autism Alliance UK is the national body for specialist not for profit organisations that support autistic people and their families.
We work together to share our knowledge, skills and experience in ways which can improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for autistic people.
Our vision is a society where autistic people can thrive and live their lives in their communities.
To achieve this, we work with a wide range of people and organisations to influence Government policy and build a vibrant, supportive community of autism specialist organisations providing services and support.
You can read more about our work here and our members here .
In this newsletter:
Autism Alliance News – an update on the work we have been doing, including influencing and member news
Autism in the News - our round-up of some recent news stories about autism
Things you can do – a round up of our members’ toolkits, support, resources and success stories in education
Tell us what you think– share your examples of good practice in education
Autism Alliance News
As the national body for specialist autism organisations in the not-for-profit sector, the Autism Alliance UK continues to highlight the systemic barriers faced by autistic people across society and services, and the importance of addressing these to make a world in which autistic people can thrive.
Some of the main current developments in policy and public affairs are:
An interim report from the Independent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD, and Autism commissioned by the Government in England. The Review is important because it deals with the fundamentals of diagnosis and ‘what autism is’ so has the potential to influence policy and public debate for years to come. The interim report found credible evidence of rising distress amongst young people which impacts on their lives and recognised the importance of meeting individual support needs. It also raised questions about consistency in autism diagnosis.
Increasing risk to the public perception of autism, through a focus on ‘overdiagnosis’. The Independent Review has shown that many factors working together account for the long-term increase in autism diagnosis across the UK, but the risk remains.
Despite this risk, strong support for autism-inclusive policy and approaches amongst many in society, including parents/carers, charities, and amongst many employers. This is important in continuing to address stigma and misunderstanding.
Continuing support for neuroinclusive employment amongst national figures, including the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Deputy Mayor of London.
Risk from the proposed SEND reforms in England, which could reinforce rigid approaches to education by providing another way to ‘divide children up’, rather than focusing on how to meet their individual support needs.
Alongside bringing UK autism not-for-profits together to share knowledge and improve services, the Autism Alliance UK leads work to influence public policy and commissioning, and to support public understanding.
A New Path Ahead, a report led by the Autism Alliance UK was released on 29th April. It was developed with autistic people, parents/carers, autism researchers, clinicians, and charities. The report was produced to influence the Independent Review and any response to the Review from the Government in England. A New Path Ahead makes one overarching point: that without long-term investment in systemic change, attempts to make public services more ‘needs-led’ will fail, because there is too much pressure on cost and staff to shift away from a model which restricts access to support and adjustments (currently on the basis of diagnosis).
We encourage all supporters to share the report with your own contacts and networks. Following A New Path Ahead, the Autism Alliance UK will be looking for opportunities to show how small steps in practice, funding and commissioning can lead to big changes at a system level.
The Autism Alliance UK will be responding to the consultation on SEND reforms in England. This will focus on the gap between the Government’s rhetoric on inclusion and belonging, and the reality of an education system which prioritises cost control and risks reinforcing rigid views of education just at the point when these need to change.
In the summer, the Autism Alliance UK expects to publish a new resource on the importance of specialist approaches in providing support for autistic children, young people, adults, and their families. With input from autistic people and their families, the resource will be to help those across the UK who commission local services, and to help individuals and families who are looking for support.
For Autism Acceptance Week 2026, the Autism Alliance UK focused on the fundamental state of autism acceptance and how it feels. Working with our members, we brought together videos and quotes on the theme ‘what autism acceptance means to me’ which can be found here and provide a resource to draw on for the future.
Working with autism charities active in UK public affairs, the Autism Alliance UK is considering how to support public understanding of autism, and address stigma, in a world with extensive misinformation. We expect further actions on this in due course.
Mainstream School Grant Applications Open
Autism Alliance member Sheila Coates Foundation have announced the opening of two new funding rounds offering £5,000 awards to mainstream secondary schools and colleges across England to support autistic students.
These small grants help autistic students thrive by supporting quick, practical solutions. Support for autistic young people in mainstream education is highly variable, and timely interventions can make a real difference.
Please share the link with your own affiliated mainstream schools.
Downloadable Toolkit for Secondary School Pupils
Alliance member Ambitious about Autism have created a free, downloadable resource for use in every secondary school within the UK.
The Autistic and OK programme, in collaboration with Zurich and the Z Zurich Foundation, aims to empower autistic pupils to take control of their mental health and wellbeing, understand themselves and feel OK.
Please explore, share and use this fantastic resource within your own communities.
Autism in the News
Autism research: “We have to get away from us-versus-them thinking”
“Whenever she hears someone talk about autistic people in terms of ‘they’, the hairs on Carolien Rieffe’s neck start to stand up. That one little word is so telling. ‘We are here, and they – autistic people – are somewhere else,”
Professor at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, Carolien Rieffe is pushing for a new approach called “Critical Design” which encourages researchers to examine their own cultural and social background and how these influence their research, in order to critically analyse these assumptions to remove prejudice and othering.
‘Money Talks’ event to empower neurodivergent founders
The North East Combined Authority has partnered with NatWest Accelerator and neurodivergent-led programme Business Unmasked to deliver Money Talks, an interactive research event taking place on May 11 at The Lumen building, in the Newcastle Helix district.
The session will bring together up to 50 neurodivergent founders to explore their experiences of accessing finance, their relationship with money and the barriers they face when seeking support.
Neurodiversity belongs in social work: lessons from our campaign
59% of 656 social care worker respondents to a Community Care poll said their work place was ‘not at all’ or only ‘a little’ inclusive of neurodivergent colleagues.
Community Care’s campaign was launched to bridge this gap and show employers simple changes they can make to create inclusive, and therefore more productive, workplaces. It also highlighted the huge advantages having neurodivergent staff supporting neurodivergent clients and the natural empathy that can come from that, as well as often being very skilled in creative problem-solving and attention to detail.
Neurohaus - helping brands design neuroinclusive retail experiences
Neurohaus was co-founded in 2023 by husband and wife Olly and Amelia Markeson. A former brand strategist, CEO Olly was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as an adult. Amelia was diagnosed with ADHD and autism shortly after, and the pair’s attempts to navigate life through the lens of neurodivergence revealed just how needed Neurohaus was.
Roughly 20% of consumers are neurodivergent but most brands overlook them. From a business perspective it’s a missed opportunity, from a human perspective it just makes sense.
Schools pioneer SEND student inclusion scheme
Field Lane Primary is actually two Rastrick schools in one. The number of pupils had been falling at Field Lane, but the nearby specialist Highbury School had a waiting list.
A partnership between Polaris Multi Academy Trust, which operates Field Lane, the local authority and Highbury has seen a "co-located" school established with a growing register. At its heart is a pioneering approach to improve inclusion of SEND pupils in the mainstream, according to teachers.
Town working to become Donegal’s first ‘autism-friendly town’
The Autism Friendly Town Committee in Castlefin, Ireland, is made up primarily of parents of autistic young people. The group are using their own experience to bring in simple changes to the businesses in the town, to try and make life just a little easier for autistic people and their families.
Introducing quiet areas, sensory-friendly hours, visual guides and training staff in local businesses are just a few of the measures the team are implementing.
Things you can do
As parents and schools prepare for the SEND reforms which promise to “spot and respond to children's needs earlier” with “every child achieving and thriving”, it is more important than ever to be aware of the rights and expectations children and young people have in their educational settings. Here we round up some of our members’ advice, support, good practice and resources in education.
Ambitious About Autism’s website includes a comprehensive guide to the various education pathways available to autistic children. These include information on choosing the right setting, early years provision, support while in school, and what to expect in further education.
Autism Anglia’s Resource Hub covers a comprehensive range of life stages, including a section on education; this features practical tips on school avoidance as well as insights into why this may happen. There is also a guide on choosing the right school for your autistic child.
NE Autism Society offer a range of educational settings across all ages and, crucially, a supported pathway from education into employment. Their Growing Futures programme sets out an inclusive and proven approach, inviting organisations to join them in their vision.
NEAS also offer a student mentoring service providing one to one study skills support for university and college students.
Autism Initiatives outreach service OSSME (Outreach Services Supporting Mainstream Education) has been offering support to schools and families in England for over 25 years. They provide a range of tools including, curriculum support, social and life skills training, diagnostic explanation, training and engagement for those at risk of exclusion.
Autism Unlimited have been supporting families for over 50 years across the south of England. Among their comprehensive services, which include Portfield School and Sixth Form, Autism Unlimited offer both online and face-to-face training for those working in education settings. The aim of the training is to empower staff and to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of autism so students can reach their full potential and build confidence.
Priors Court holds an Ofsted outstanding rating for both it’s education and residential settings. Supporting autistic young people with complex needs from age 5 to 25, Priors Court prides itself on person centred support so each student can realise their potential.
Here you can read some of the stories of Priors Court students, where the value of connection with their dedicated staff means everything.
Remarkable’s mission to push the boundaries for autistic young people is at the heart of their award winning school, college and therapy centre. Striving for the best possible outcomes through their extensive community partnerships, learning hubs and emotional resilience curriculum, you can read inspiring news from Wargrave House School and find out more about Ascent College and Sundial Therapy at the links below.
Tell us what you think
Educational Good Practice
For autistic young people, education can present overwhelming and sometimes, insurmountable barriers. Coupled with a lack of clarity and commitment in government, it can often feel like a fight for parents and carers to receive the most fundamental provision.
Recognising this, we want to hear your examples of what has worked for your young person so that we can continue to support, champion and call for best practice for every child and young person.
We know that the education system is full of dedicated, passionate and intelligent staff and volunteers who deserve recognition, so if you would like, please share with us some of your success stories below.
A final word
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